Sauerkraut Soup, sometimes called kapusniak, is a hearty pot of rinsed sauerkraut, potatoes, carrots, celery, onion and white beans simmered in low-sodium chicken broth, with browned bacon for a gentle smoky note and a bay leaf for depth. It’s tangy, filling and ready in about 50 minutes. The recipe makes 8 servings.
How to make it: Brown the bacon in a little oil and set it aside. Soften the celery and onion, then add the carrots, potatoes, optional quinoa, broth and water and simmer 15 minutes. Stir in the rinsed sauerkraut, half the bacon, the white beans with their juice and a bay leaf, and cook until the potatoes are tender. Season to taste and top with the rest of the bacon.
Why You’ll Love It
- Tangy and smoky: the sauerkraut gives the soup its zing, and the bacon adds a subtle smokiness.
- Hearty: potatoes, carrots and white beans make it a full meal.
- One pot, 50 minutes: brown, simmer, season.
- Feeds a crowd: 8 generous bowls.
Ingredient Notes
Sauerkraut: 3 cups (2 to 3 cups works), triple rinsed and drained.
Bacon: 8 ounces, chopped and browned in 1 tablespoon olive oil. Half goes into the soup and half is saved for the top.
Vegetables: 1 stalk celery and 1 medium onion, finely diced; 2 medium carrots, thinly sliced; and 3 medium potatoes (about 1 pound), peeled and sliced about 1/3 inch thick.
White beans: one 15-ounce can, added with their juice.
Broth and water: 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth plus 2 cups water.
Quinoa: 1/4 cup, rinsed. Optional; millet also works.
Seasoning: 1 bay leaf, then salt, black pepper and a salt-free herb seasoning blend to taste at the end.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 8 ounces bacon, chopped
- 1 stalk celery, finely diced
- 1 medium onion, finely diced
- 2 medium carrots, thinly sliced
- 3 medium potatoes (about 1 pound), peeled and sliced into 1/3-inch thick pieces
- 1/4 cup quinoa, rinsed (optional)
- 3 cups sauerkraut, triple rinsed and drained (2 to 3 cups works)
- 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 cups water, or to taste
- 1 can white beans (15 ounces), added with their juice
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon Mrs. Dash seasoning (optional, to taste)
How to Make Sauerkraut Soup
1. Brown the bacon. Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven. Add the chopped bacon and sauté until browned, then remove it with a slotted spoon and set it aside.
2. Soften the celery and onion. Add the celery and onion to the pot and sauté until softened and golden, about 5 minutes.
3. Simmer the vegetables. Add the carrots, potatoes, quinoa (if using), broth and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
4. Add the sauerkraut. Add the sauerkraut, half of the cooked bacon, the white beans with their juice and the bay leaf. Keep cooking until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.
5. Season and serve. Season to taste with the salt, pepper and Mrs. Dash. Top the bowls with the bacon you kept back and serve with fresh crusty bread.
What Goes in Sauerkraut Soup?
The base is always sauerkraut, broth and vegetables. From there, recipes go in a few directions:
- This recipe: bacon, celery, onion, carrots, potatoes, white beans, bay leaf and chicken broth, with optional quinoa.
- Vegetable-only: onion or leek, carrot, parsnip, garlic, potatoes and sauerkraut in vegetable stock, seasoned with caraway, marjoram, allspice, juniper berries and bay leaves.
- German-style: bacon or speck, onions, garlic, tomato paste, smoked paprika, marjoram and caraway in chicken broth, finished with sour cream.
- Sausage: browned Polish sausage or kielbasa with sauerkraut, potatoes and carrots.
Which Broth Is Best?
This recipe uses low-sodium chicken broth with some water. Vegetable stock makes a meatless version, and beef or ham broth works too. Whatever you use, season at the end, after the sauerkraut and beans are in.
Tips
- Rinse the sauerkraut. Triple rinse it and drain it well before it goes in.
- Save half the bacon. Keep some back to scatter over the bowls.
- Slice the potatoes evenly, about 1/3 inch thick.
- Season last. Add the salt, pepper and seasoning blend to taste once everything is in the pot.
- Adding sour cream? Put a spoonful in each bowl rather than in the pot, so leftovers can be reheated properly.
Variations
- Kielbasa or ham: use 8 ounces of browned kielbasa or diced ham instead of bacon.
- Meatless: skip the bacon and use vegetable broth.
- Warm spices: add caraway seeds, marjoram, allspice, dill or a few juniper berries.
- Smoky: a spoonful of smoked paprika and a little tomato paste with the onion.
- Swaps: celeriac instead of potato, millet instead of quinoa, speck instead of bacon.
Storage & Reheating
Refrigerator: Divide the soup into smaller, shallow covered containers so it cools quickly, and refrigerate within 2 hours. It keeps 3 to 4 days.
Freezer: Freeze for 3 to 4 months. Thaw in the refrigerator, or reheat straight from frozen in a saucepan.
Reheating: Reheat covered, bringing the soup to a rolling boil, until it reaches 165°F. Don’t reheat leftovers in a slow cooker; for serving, a preheated slow cooker can keep hot soup at 140°F or warmer.
What to Serve With It
Serve it with fresh crusty bread or rye bread, or try our German bread. A leafy green salad on the side is nice too.
More cabbage and sauerkraut: slow cooker Polish sausage, sauerkraut and potatoes, Irish bacon, cabbage and potato soup and slow cooker unstuffed cabbage roll soup. For more hearty bowls, try slow cooker 15 bean soup or fried potatoes, onions and smoked Polish sausage.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do you put in sauerkraut soup?
Here: sauerkraut, bacon, celery, onion, carrots, potatoes, white beans, a bay leaf and chicken broth, with optional quinoa.
What kind of broth is best for sauerkraut soup?
Low-sodium chicken broth is used here. Vegetable, beef or ham broth also work.
Do I have to rinse the sauerkraut?
This recipe triple rinses and drains it before it goes in.
What is kapusniak?
It’s the Polish name for sauerkraut soup.
Can I freeze sauerkraut soup?
Yes, for 3 to 4 months. Leave out any sour cream until serving.
Final Notes
Rinse the sauerkraut, simmer the vegetables and finish with crisp bacon on top. If you try it with kielbasa, tell me in the comments how it turned out.
Sauerkraut Soup
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Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 8 ounces bacon chopped
- 1 stalk celery finely diced
- 1 medium onion finely diced
- 2 medium carrots thinly sliced
- 3 medium potatoes about 1 pound, peeled and sliced into 1/3-inch thick pieces
- 1/4 cup quinoa rinsed; optional
- 3 cups sauerkraut triple rinsed and drained; 2 to 3 cups works
- 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 cups water or to taste
- 1 can white beans 15 ounces, added with their juice
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 teaspoon salt to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon Mrs. Dash seasoning optional, to taste
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven. Add the chopped bacon and sauté until browned, then remove it with a slotted spoon and set it aside.
- Add the celery and onion to the pot and sauté until softened and golden, about 5 minutes.
- Add the carrots, potatoes, quinoa (if using), broth and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Add the sauerkraut, half of the cooked bacon, the white beans with their juice and the bay leaf. Keep cooking until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.
- Season to taste with the salt, pepper and Mrs. Dash. Top the bowls with the bacon you kept back and serve with fresh crusty bread.
Notes
Nutrition
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